Climate of Optimism at the Close of the International Tourism Show of Catalonia

According to exhibitors at the International Tourism Show of Catalonia, this year Catalans will travel more than last season. The proposals of the retail travel agencies, as well as the remaining participants, were very well received by over 195,000 trade visitors and general public who attended the show

Innovative and competitive tourist products presented above all by travel agencies and in the new cruises space, defined the 19th edition of the show. Over 195,000 visitors, exhibitors from 60 countries and all the Spanish autonomous communities are the figures of an event which, according to participants, offers positive prospects for tourist activity in the next few months.

The show presented multiple proposals, from different types of cruises to travel around New Zealand by caravan, bicycle trips through Croatia and shopping routes in Beijing. The public also showed great interest in closer national and European destinations.

Logroño, the show’s guest city, offered wine and food tastings of products from Rioja, theatrical entertainment and combinations of traditional wines and dishes. The Desert Port featured proposals specific to this territory and the Arab world, as well as Moroccan food, North African dances, exhibition and sale of hand-crafted products and henna tattoos.

The third edition of the Pink Corner featured 50 exhibitors specialised in proposals for LGBTs as well as shows and performances by artists such as Deborah Ombre and the presentation of the Mr. Gay Spain event which will be held in July in Madrid.

For the first time, this year’s show dedicated a few hours during the first day to trade visitors. The side events program featured debates, conferences and round tables organised with the collaboration of the Agència Catalana de Turisme; Turisme de Barcelona; the Asociación Catalana de Agencia de Viajes, ACAV; the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, UPC; ESADE Business School and the Centro de Estudios Técnicos Turísticos, CETT, among others. The various topics included innovation and sustainability applied to tourism and a study on the consumer habits of users of Spanish travel agencies.

Different prizes were awarded: the Alimara-Cat went to the province of Medio Campidano, Sardinia (Italy) for having presented the best graphic and promotional material in Catalan and the Alimara Special was won by the president emeritus of SITC, Mr. Ramon Bagó, for his contribution to tourism and his support of the CETT. The ACPETUR-SITCs were awarded for the best stands at the show to Castilla la Mancha, Terres de l’Ebre and Egypt. A special award went to Xaluca, a Catalan firm that operates in Morocco.

According to Marta Serra, director of the event, "the Catalan public has ratified their great passion for travelling and returned to the show hoping to discover new routes and destinations for their next trips, generating a climate of optimism. The show also presented really innovative proposals that, once again, confirmed its leadership among public-oriented tourism shows."

The next International Tourism Show in Catalonia will be held from the 14th to the 17th of April 2011 and, according to impressions received to date, the majority of exhibitors will be back to participate in the show.